Cape Town – The motorist who allegedly referred to a provincial traffic officer by using the K-word could face more charges after she allegedly also resisted arrest.
The 34-year-old was in one of two vehicles pulled over during a random traffic operation on the N2 near Somerset West on Saturday, when she allegedly verbally abused an officer carrying out her duties.
Western Cape provincial traffic chief Kenny Africa said she was arrested, faced a charge of crimen injuria and was held in custody over the weekend.
“The case is sub judice, so I can’t say more about her, but the lady said the K-word to a traffic officer. This was after the car she was in and another were pulled over. A case was opened at Mfuleni police station,” said Africa.
She made a brief appearance in the Blue Downs Magistrate’s Court yesterday, where her case was postponed to December 6 for further investigation.
Meanwhile, the officer has still to lodge a formal complaint with the South African Human Rights Commission.
Provincial commissioner Chris Nissen said the officer was expected to approach their commission yesterday.
“We are hopeful she will come soon. However, if she does not we can still pursue the matter as the SAHRC,” Nissen said.
Transport MEC, Bonginkosi Madikizela, condemned the incident and called for the law to take its course.
“People who still use that word must be criminally charged, especially against traffic officers.
‘‘It is treasonous. They have no place in our society.
“We are busy with a reconciliation project and we can’t risk reversing the gains we have made because of people who are still nostalgic about the past,” said Madikizela.
Last March, Vicki Momberg was sentenced to two years in prison with an additional year suspended.
This year, she lost her bid to appeal against her effective two-year jail sentence for crimen injuria.
Momberg was found guilty on four counts of crimen injuria after she called a black officer the K-word 48 times when he came to her aid after a smash-and-grab incident in 2016.
She insulted and swore at the officers. She later stopped a marked police vehicle driving on Malibongwe Drive, Johannesburg where she pointed a finger at one of the officers and called him a “useless k*****”.